Saving Rose
by Queen Of Idiots
Summary: My take on MtW: Rose can be saved, and Martin will do whatever it takes to do so. Even... die? {COMPLETE}
1. Chapter One

_**IMPORTANT: I'm looking for a proofreader! Please email me about it if you are interested!**_

**Note:** This story begins in Noonvale, chapter 35, just for the record. Lyn, Josephine, and Alexei, as minor characters as they are, belong to me. Everybeast else, even those like Gulba whom no one remembers, belong to Brian Jaques. _SR_ has an optional sequel (you can have this story end here, if you prefer), _SR2: Journal of a Hope_, which is loaded with much more M/R romance than this ever will. Lastly, since _Saving Rose_ overlaps on the events in _Martin the Warrior_, at some points I'll just be repeating what the book says, but it can't be helped.

_"I am a warrior! Martin son of Luke! I will live, I will not give in and die up here! Do you hear me, Badrang? I will live to take back my father's sword and slay you one day! Badraaaaaang!" _

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**SAVING ROSE**

_Chapter One_

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"You are an early riser, Martin."

Martin did not look up from his reflection projected by the pool branching off the waterfall. "A roof does not suit me, it's too stuffy, I had to move about. Yet I see you are also up early." As he spoke, he took his sack from his left and put it on his opposite side to make room for the speaker.

His visitor, Aryah, sat down beside him. She dipped her paw in the water, disturbing their reflections, making them dance then settle again. "I was having a word with Boldred about Brome. What troubles you?" As she spoke, she wiped her paw upon a patch of grass.

Martin said nothing, but examined the fish swimming about lazily. He turned to look at Rose's mother with troubled eyes.

"Is it related to Marshank?" Aryah cocked her head, trying to urge Martin on.

"As a matter of fact, it is," he said slowly, watching the waters once more. Aryah took a stab.

"And Rose?" She had a feeling her daughter was important to him in a special way.

Martin sighed and nodded. "I was meaning to talk to you. She…" Martin looked down, unwilling to meet Aryah's eyes. "Here, see for yourself." He reached deep within his bag and handed her a crumpled piece of parchment.

It was written in neat script, with a few stains from food. Aryah's eyes widened as she read;

_Doomed is the rose that follows the warrior, faithfully through the conquest of the tyrant. Never to see the next morning, she shall perish to save a friend. For it is the destiny of the warrior to found the place with walls of red, no obstacle must stand in his way._

She looked up at Martin, scandalized. "Surely it doesn't mean…?"

He sighed, frustrated. "Who else would it be? I've tried to convince her not to come with me. You understand that destroying Marshank is a task I cannot put aside – so simply not going is no option. She's stubborn – she insists that where I go, she goes."

Aryah looked at the parchment again. Her paws shook slightly as she asked, "Who gave this to you?"

"Polleekin. You know her?"

Aryah nodded. "Urran must know of this. We shall show him this… prophecy tonight. Here," she said as she handed it back to Martin. He carefully put it back in his sack.

Evening came. Martin, Urran Voh, and Aryah quietly escaped without drawing attention to themselves from the Council Lodge and made their way to Rose's family cottage. Once they settled down inside, Martin and Aryah showed the Chieftain the parchment, and he blanched. "What is this?"

"It's no riddle – just blunt fact. Simply put, Rose will die if she comes with me to Marshank," Martin said wearily.

Urran Voh stared at him sternly. "You believe this piece of paper?"

Aryah said quietly, "We believe Polleekin."

Urran trusted his wife. He sighed. "How can we prevent this?"

All three mulled this over. "We could –" Martin began.

The door opened suddenly, forcing Urran to swiftly cram the parchment between his side and the chair. Aryah and Martin tried to change their expressions from troubled to carefree. Rose's head poked out from the doorway. "Is everything alright? I was so worried when I noticed you weren't still at dinner!"

Urran looked pained as he racked his brain for an excuse. "Why yes, we're fine. We were simply, erm…" He looked to his wife and the warrior for help.

Thinking at lightning speed, Martin smiled nonchalantly at Rose. "I mentioned to your parents that I was interested in the layout of Noonvale's land, so we decided to talk here since it was quieter. We did say we were leaving, you simply mustn't have heard." He inwardly flinched at laying the blame on Rose, but he had to cast the suspicion away from him at all costs.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, Grumm accidentally took a bite from a spoon, I-" Rose blushed at her so-called rudeness.

Aryah held up a hand. "Don't worry dear, we're not offended. Go back to dinner, now."

Rose looked about the room. "Erm, if you wish. Did you all finish eating, or do you want me to send over some food –"

All three looked panicked and simultaneously said, "No thank you!" Rose blinked at them.

"Er, we're quite full, thank you," Urran chuckled, still feeling uptight. "What a helpful daughter I have! No, you go back and enjoy yourself."

Rose blushed again and left.

Once the door closed, Martin, Urran, and Aryah all sighed with relief. "How close was that?" Aryah said as the wiped her brow. "Quick thinking, Martin."

He shrugged unhappily. "Quick thinking is what we'll need to keep Rose safe."

As he spoke, Urran Voh took out the parchment and smoothed out the crumples. "So what was your idea?"

Martin sat with his head on his knees. "It's not much, but…"

Urran Voh and Aryah listened carefully as they hatched their plan.

It was early morning, only one hour past dawn. Martin feel his body nag him from lack of sleep – his conversation with Noonvale's patriarch and his wife had taken them many hours into the night. He sat by Rose's door and waited for the others to carry out their part of the plan.

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	2. Chapter Two

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**SAVING ROSE**

_Chapter Two_

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Aryah was in the kitchens, looking friendly and chirp. The few beasts that were up were running about the kitchen, trying to get a start on cooking breakfast. When she was sure everybeast was too busy to pay her attention, she looked around and located a lone figure watching the ovens in a small corner. She silently slipped by the kitchen workers and stood beside the beast.

"Good morning Lyn, early and diligent as ever."

The beast called Lyn looked up and smiled. She was an old squirrel, quiet and in love with food. "Ello there, Aryah m'dear. Ye keep getting prettier each time I see ye," she beamed.

Aryah blushed. "Silly beast, stop it. I'm an adult now," she reminded Lyn. "I just had a sudden thought – do you happen to know where the old sleeping powder is?"

Lyn leaned over the oven to see if the pastries within were ready. "Oh, that ol' bottle of ugly grey stuff? Nah, threw it out long ago, couldn't bear to think that such things within Noonvale. Why would ye want it?" She peered curiously at Aryah.

Aryah's stomach twisted and she began to feel sick. "Ah, nothing important. I just thought Martin and company might need it to sneak into Marshank, if need be," she uttered a calculated lie with difficulty.

The old one shook her head. "Nah, sorry m'dear. They'll have to make do without." Aryah's face twisted into a picture of misery.

"Make do indeed," she said faintly as she stumbled out of the kitchen.

Martin was still sitting by Rose's room two hours later. The plate of food that was supposed to be brought up had still not arrived, and the warrior worried that Rose would wake soon.

At long last, Aryah walked up to him, a plate in her paws and despair on her face. Martin looked at her questioningly and she shook her head in defeat. "They threw it out," she whispered, and Martin's shoulders slumped. "I tried looking around the infirmary, but all I found was-"

She and Martin jumped when they heard yawning without the room, and the sounds of somebeast getting up. Aryah handed him the breakfast plate and said quietly, "I'll tell you later. Maybe there's still hope."

Martin gritted his teeth and nodded at Aryah as she quickly turned to leave. Then he knocked on Rose's door, and came in when she bade him to. "Breakfast, O sleepy one!"

Urran was shocked to see Rose after breakfast, along with Grumm and Pallum. He looked to Martin and Aryah for an explanation, but they were too many beasts to speak privately with. Both had dejected looks on their faces. Once he had a free moment, he dashed towards the two and they excused themselves to the orchard, where they surrendered to an unoccupied corner.

"I was just telling Martin," Aryah filled her husband in, "that the sleeping powder was thrown out long ago. I found the recipe in the infirmary, but it takes much too long to prepare now. All we have left is this." As she spoke, she took out an omnious bottle of thin clear liquid from her sash.

"Chloroform?" Martin and Urran said together.

Rose's mother nodded. "I don't see what else we can do. Martin and I will have to lure Rose, Grumm and Pallum away from the others, one at a time, and drug them. Meanwhile, you'll still do your part," she looked at her husband.

They were all quiet as they thought over this harsh change of plan. "And if that also fails?" Martin said quietly. Aryah sighed.

"You'll have to take the bottle with you to Marshank and keep watching for an opportunity," she said miserably. "Here, I brought another empty bottle, and some pieces of cloth. We'll each take care of one of them, so as to not draw suspicion to one of us. Good luck," she added.

Martin and Aryah got up and went their separate ways, watching, while Urran Voh hunted out the one who would help them carry on the plan.

Josephine was a young mouse maid, out of dibbunhood but not yet an adult. She had a shadow, her dearest friend, a male otter named Alexei. As most best friends go, they were complete opposites. While Josephine was responsible and quiet, Alexei was loud and out of control. Yet they could not imagine life without the other. Alexei had thought it mighty strange when Urran Voh bade Josephine to see him, and forbid him to come. Therefore Alexei didn't see the problem in putting his ears against the door as the two spoke. The conversation was muffled, but he could understand bits of it.

_"…Bury him?"_

_"Yes, precisely. You'll leave a sac of provisions by his belongings, and when dawn comes…"_

_"…I'll be crying…"_

_"Yes. Claim to have wanted to prove yourself at Marshank, but you couldn't take it –"_

_"…Where will he be at that moment?"_

_"…Running away …Rose mustn't know at all costs."_

Alexei head snapped from the door, staring at it with wild eyes. Something about a plot to kill a beast! And Rose was involved somehow… they were going to kill Rose! His thoughts raced and tripped over themselves in his mind. He wasn't sure, of course, but… he must warn her. He slipped silently from the ruler's home, and started running madly once he was out. Where could Rose be at this time of day? With that warrior, no doubt. She never left his side…

The otter, for a rare moment in his life, was as focused as ever, intent with a wild desire to save Rose. He ran through the entire of Noonvale, never uttering a word. When he finally found her, she was as predicted: right by Martin. She was explaining to him the dilemma with the dead sycamore. While he was unsure of Martin's position in this plot, he was the only character that fit the description. Pallum and Grumm were too peaceful, but the male mouse was wild like himself…. Preparing to think of the worst so as to not be disappointed, he asked for a minute alone with Rose, and saw with relief that neither she nor Martin minded.

_Not good. This is _not_ good. _Martin pretended to be absorbed in the current task, but secretly paid extreme attention to Rose and the otter.

"Rose, listen," Alexei rasped as he clutched her paw. "Be careful. Something's going to happen, Rose, and it involves you. I overheard your father talking, and he mentioned something about an oncoming death, in which you and Martin are involved. Oh Rose, please watch out!"

Rose looked at him in a startled manner, then laughed. "Goodness, Alex. Mind your words! You must have heard wrong. I mean, this is my father we're talking about! And Martin would never do such a thing, either." She smiled at him and calmly pried her paw from Alexei's clutch.

As she walked back to Martin, Alexei bit his lip. There was a possibility that Rose was right, of course. But if she wasn't, this ignorance could get her… killed.

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	3. Chapter Three

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SAVING ROSE

Chapter Three

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It had been pretty long now, and still no chance to catch Grumm, Rose or Pallum alone came. Their hope diminished as Boldred swooped from the sky and related them her news.

They were on the kind otter Starwort's _Waterlily, _the same one that had delivered Rose and her companions to Noonvale. Martin stood at the edge of the boat, and for once in countless days, Rose's impending doom wasn't first and foremost on his mind. He felt the savage excitement that a nearing battle always provided. In his temporary moment on peace, Martin came to the realization that if worst came to worst, he could always take Rose and his dear friends out by force. Or perhaps an opportunity would arise… he sighed. So many thoughts occupied his troubled head. The young warrior couldn't keep them straight, didn't know which he should concentrate on. Best he could do was just to ignore them.

Boldred perched by him. Her eyes seemed to pierce him through, as she said, "I have the sack with me."

Martin looked up at her in surprise, but soon quickly realized that no one else could have taken on the task better than the owl, anyway. The owl in question shook her great head, knowing what he was thinking. "No, Martin, I only overheard. The one who is in charge of lying about your death was forbidden to come, but she'll be along shortly, if she can manage to sneak out unnoticed." She spoke in a hushed tone, rightfully aware of eavesdroppers. "Aryah and Urran Voh were afraid that I would be too attached to Rose to carry the plan, I think. Yet the one they chose is responsible, she'll keep quiet."

Martin looked at the sunset, eyes unseeing. "And what is that beast's name?"

"Josephine, I believe."

The warrior racked his memory, but no beast by such a name surfaced. He shrugged. "Nonetheless, thank you for all your help." Boldred looked at Martin. Her eyes searched him, hidden pity in her gaze. To be forced to carry such burden…

Boldred locked away her sympathy for the mouse. Pity gets you nowhere, and what he needed was encouragement, not regret.

Josephine was breathing hard as she ran to catch up. She was desperately needed in the plan – Boldred couldn't dig graves, for goodness sakes! The owl had instructed Starwort's boat to pause further along in the Broadstream inlet, but not for long. With the boat in sight, Josephine yelled out to announce her presence. Josephine braced herself and took flying jump. She landed with a thump against another beast that rocked the boat in the waters.

"Oof, easy there, miss!" The beast she landed on was Martin, and he held out a paw to help her up. She blushed as she held out the bag, untouched by the landing.

"Sorry, sir. I have it all here," she huffed.

Martin nodded his thanks. "Remember, stay out of sight until we get there, then follow along in the back."

Boldred hushed them and pushed Josephine with the rest of the beasts inside. She covered her head with a hat to evade being recognized. Back outside, the owl called for the otter boat to get moving, then flew away. Shortly after, Rose and Starwort's wife Marigold joined them. Marigold drummed more help, and the two mice watched as tribe after tribe of creatures joined them.

_More beasts, more help... more chances of defeating Marshank_. Martin had to make an effort to keep a maniacal smile from creeping unto his face.

The next day came, and the waterfall was long behind them. Martin was running up the hilltop, with Grumm, Pallum, and Rose on his trail. Boldred looked smug as she exclaimed; "Now we have a horde too!"

Martin looked at the vast amount of creatures, from the Gawtrybe squirrels to the argumentative shrews. Rose was completely wiped from his mind as he drew his short sword, the bloodwrath rising within him. It was an unstoppable crimson wave of barbaric will, and he yelled out in a voice that left no doubt in anybeast's mind that he was a born leader.

"Chaaaaaaaaaaaaarge!"

He ran in front, barely feeling his hindpaws strike the ground in a mad stampede. Badrang's torment flashed by his eyes and his strength doubled, as his mind and common sense was wiped blank by the bloodwrath. As his army roared forward, they were sighted by the Fur and Freedom fighters. Once the two forces had joined, they were unstoppable.

At first he, the otters, and hedgehogs battered the gate with a piece of driftwood, but it was no use. Completely enraged, he hacked at the gate despite Starwort and another hedgehog named Gulba's efforts to restrain him. He calmed down, however, once Rose, Pallum, and Grumm appeared. They summoned him away to prepare a plan of action.

Martin had an idea, and it was laid out as such; at a few hours before dawn, the army would split into four, one section on each wall of Marshank. Those at the gate would distract Badrang and his vermin with a burning cart, the Gawtrybe squirrels would climb the south wall, north would be undertaken by the pygmy shrews and hedgehogs climbing a net, and the moles would dig beneath the last wall to help the remaining beasts in. All that needed to be done had been, and now the only thing to do was wait...

Wait they did, and they were still at it when midnight arrived. Martin sat with Rose, the others sleeping soundly all around them. He itched for Rose to go to sleep, waiting for his chance. His target smiled at him, and yawned. Martin frowned at her, his concern mixed with relief.

"Rose, you look tired. Here," he handed her a cloak some beast had given him. Rose smiled gratefully, and Martin tucked it in around her as she laid down. Within a few tense minutes for Martin, Rose was asleep.

The warrior relaxed and made sure that the bottle of chloroform was unscathed. He kept it and the cloth ready, then he began to seek out a spot where he could keep an eye on Brome, Rose, Grumm and Pallum altogether. He didn't want any problems, and Aryah had given him the entire contents of the original anesthetic upon his leaving. This meant that he had enough for all four of them. Martin felt terribly guilty about all this, but his sense of duty and his love for Rose kept him sticking to the plan. Talking about plans, the young mouse hoped Boldred and Josephine had kept their end of it. Hurriedly, he checked the spot Boldred had mentioned to him, and saw to his satisfaction that it was safely hidden.

Everything was set. Now he waited patiently for the waking hours to arrive.

It was a few moments before everybeast in the camp awoke. Moving speedily among the beasts, Martin kept his ears and eyes open for signs of his friend's waking. Pallum was the first to stir. Settling down beside him, Martin placed his cloak against Pallum's eyes to keep him from telling tales once the battle was over. The mouse turned the bottle of anesthetic upside down and pressed the cloth against the opening, then he turned it right-side up again and pressed the cloth against the hedgehog's snout and mouth once Pallum began to stir. He knew that Pallum had just had a full night's restful slumber, so the warrior gave him a strong dose of chloroform. Immediately Pallum relaxed and withdrew into unconsciousness. He did the exact same thing for each of his friends as they came to, first Brome, then Rose, and Grumm last.

The bottle of chloroform was not quite empty, and leaving it lying about would be dangerous for Martin. He carefully put in within the hidden bag, then picked up each of his friends and hid them out of sight in the North Hills. Martin took one last careful look at his first real and only companions, especially Rose, and propped her head in a more comfortable position. Tears prickled his eyes, and he felt certain that this was the last time he would ever see them. Feeling slightly embarrassed of himself, he kissed all of their brows in sorrow. Then the bold warrior mouse turned his back on his friends, and did not look back.

The task had been simple, a mere matter of precise timing and effective actions. There really hadn't been much to it. Yet he felt as if he had run miles on end, and his heart agreed with him as it beat furiously against his ribs, threatening to burst. Once he got back to camp, Martin washed the scent of chemicals off himself and proceeded to wake Ballaw, leader of the Fur and Freedom fighters.

Finally the camp began to stir. Breakfast was eaten in silence, a sense of foreboding, tension, and excitement hovering over the creatures. The last preparations were seen to, and the time had come for the battle to continue. Buckler, a mole of the Fur and Freedom fighters, set the cart alight. Another member, a badger named Rowanoak, shoved the cart against the gates on the infamous Marshank.

The war had begun!

Archers fired, squirrels hacked, and moles tunneled. The battle was in full swing, and Martin was at the gates with the cart, firing up at the battlements. As Rowanoak returned, he cast aside his bow and drew his sword. The warrior made his way to the north wall and started to climb the shrew's net. Once he was up and over, he threw himself into the melee, his own safety completely forgotten. While he was at it, Martin kept an eye out for the stoat he had dreamed of slaying for so long. He knocked out a fox that had its eye on Amballa, queen on the pygmy shrews. And while she said something to him, he paid her no heed as his attention was drawn to a certain creature, running towards the slave compound.

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	4. Chapter Four

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SAVING ROSE

Chapter Four

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Back in the North Hills, Rose stirred as her mind's subconscious urgently tried to tell her that something was wrong. But the anesthetic had a strong grip on her conscious, and she could not wake. All Rose could do was twist her face into a frown as she dreamt a nightmare.

* * *

Martin leaped from walltop, seeing Badrang slashing his way through the beasts blocking his escape via the tunnel the moles had dug. Driven even deeper into his madness, Martin did not even feel his landing, which should have rightfully knocked him out. He followed Badrang into the tunnel, thankfully blocked by on of Gulba's massive hedgehogs. Furious, Martin dragged the tyrant out, and did not even flinch as his father's sword drew blood from his chest.

The two continued to fight, Martin as a wild savage and Badrang as a panicked coward. Both had acquired many wounds, the stoat most of all. At last Martin found an opportunity to strike. He gripped both of Badrang's paws in his own, his own sword forgotten, and forced it back into the tyrant's chest.

His lifelong mission was accomplished. Once the bloodwrath deserted him, the past sleepless nights and lack of nutrition took its toll on the warrior, but he could not rest. He sighed. "For you, Father, and for you, Rose."

Looking around, he spotted Josephine hiding by the tunnel. Martin nodded to her as he walked her way. She looked at Badrang, then at Martin. Suddenly Josephine flung her arms around her hero and bade him the best of luck, promising him that all would deeply miss the warrior that had changed everybeast's life. Martin smiled fondly at the helpful mousemaid, and snuck out of the warzone, bidding all the creatures that had participated in the downfall of Marshank a sorrowful, silent farewell.

* * *

Brome stirred. He found himself with a slight headache from what he suspected was chloroform. Yet his musings were wiped from his mind as he opened his eyes and saw…

Hills. He knew them well, and he also knew that it wasn't where he fell asleep. He looked about and saw his sister, Pallum, and Grumm also getting up. They took it in silently with wide eyes.

"Whurr be oi, yurr?" Grumm mumbled dazedly.

"We're in the North Hills!" Brome exclaimed, scowling.

Rose groaned. "Oh, my head. Why are we here? Have… oh! The battle! It's past dawn!"

Pallum was shocked. "What's the meaning of this?" He cried, and all four pondered this question.

"We'd better get back to camp," Brome said hurriedly, and started running towards said camp.

There was nobeast there when they arrived, though as much was expected. There was activity at the tyrant's fortress, and the four rushed over. Starwort, Rowanoak, and many more creatures greeted them as they approached.

"Where were you chaps this whole time, wot? Missed all the top-notch action!" Ballaw greeted them.

Brome shook his head. "You wouldn't believe us if we told you-"

His sister interrupted him. "Where's Martin?" Pallum and Grumm also looked eager to know.

The wise badger frowned. "You know, I saw him a while ago by the slave compound. It's been quite a long time since then though," she frowned.

"Well, let's get at it then, mates!" Starwort shouted as he turned to run in the direction Rowanoak had mentioned. The others followed closely behind him.

...And it was a strange sight that met their eyes. The young mousemaid Josephine, supposedly still safe at Noonvale, was weeping as she shoveled dirt unto a mound that looked fearfully like a grave.

Rose ran up to her. "Jose! What are you doing here? And what are you _doing_?"

The others caught up in time to hear her sniff, "Burying him."

Their stomachs dropped, and a strange sense of foreboding hung over them as Grumm choked, "Burryin' who, miz?"

Josephine looked at the dirt on her shovel miserably, then said in a ragged voice;

"_Martin_."

The next few minutes were a blur to all. In her shock, Rowanoak randomly thought, _But we don't have shovels here_.

Rose felt like she was being strangled. Her voice, usually clear and beautiful, sounded torn and used. "He shouldn't be buried there," she said out of nowhere. Her brain was still trying to register the fact that her warrior was gone.

Brome began to weep. Slowly, all creatures present felt lumps rising in their throats, and sobs crept out unbidden. One by one, the word got through the entire fortress, and every singly beast cried for the warrior, their leader.

* * *

He was already far off now. Past the marsh, past the forest, past the Broadstream, he walked on, his thoughts trying to command his disobeying paws to turn around. Shouldering his pack, his tears flowed down his cheeks, and the only thing that kept them silent and unnoticed was his commitment to the happiness of the flower of his life.

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THE END…?

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Blech. Go read the sequel now - go go go! )


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